Yesterday I stopped by a presentation for A La Disposition (I now want a coat with a bustle), I ducked into 2 events at store in SoHo, had dinner with my girlfriend and happened to see Dina, Yael and Tamar – otherwise known as the Magnes Sisters – towards the end of our meal.

Today I started off the day at a medioche presentation, met Kelly (a new favorite publicist of mine) at the Society of Illustrators to preview the new science fiction installation and have a quick bite in the cafe before heading out to meet LaQuan Smith and Telfar. Let me tell you guys – LaQuan Smith is awesome. He might have a lot to learn, but he’ll get there (and soon). I die for his neon dresses and sooo much more. (I’m also going to do a feature on him in the coming weeks for StyledOn, so you better start reading that as well!)

I watched Chanel Iman walk the runway for Rosa Cha (which was rather good, actually). I saw a few other things not worth mentioning. Unfortunately I missed the Cuz Love Killz show (a grafitti-inspired collection), which I really wanted to check out.

And then there was Fashion’s Night Out… and for me, it was all about Nicole Romano and the Plaza. Very successful event and I wore the sexiest little tuxedo shorts and one of her amazing tassel necklaces.

Tomorrow I have a crazy schedule: Alejandro Ingelmo (SHOES!!) | Yigal Azrouel | Copperwheat | Ideeen | Luca Luca | Nicole Miller | Costello Tagliapietra | Indashio | Persona Party with Amber Rose, Russel Simmons & Kanye West

I had better get a good night’s sleep because my toes are still numb and I can barely type. ‘night!!

A cruise show on a boardwalk snaking along the Venice Lido with the sun about to set, gentle waves rolling in, and a whisper of a breeze to make sinuous shapes flutter in movement…it couldn’t have been a more poetic or, given the times, more uniquely audacious Chanel moment. “I wanted to reinvent the mystique,” said Karl Lagerfeld, talking about locating the collection in one of Coco Chanel’s favorite summer haunts—she visited Venice for almost ten years beginning in 1919 and met Diaghilev here. But Lagerfeld might also have been speaking about reinstating the long-lost leisurely sensation of a fashion show as an exceptional one-off experience. The 350 guests reclining on sun beds in the famous white tented cabanas certainly felt privileged to be witnessing the extreme glamour of the designer’s learned-but-light invocation of an important part of Coco Chanel’s biography, one that was overlaid with passing allusions to Visconti, Fellini, the Venice carnival, and the city’s art treasures.

“Coco on the Lido,” as Lagerfeld called it, started with a tableau of figures in tricorne hats and cloaks—cover-ups for a play on girdles and bras as bathing suits. Next came Tatjana Patitz promenading in creamy lace as the picture-hatted Edwardian mother in Death in Venice, her sailor-suited son Tadzio and his two sisters in ingenue fan-pleated dresses trailing behind. From there, the sequence took off into matelot- and gondolier-inspired stripes, interpreted in long-line fine-knit cardigans and playful beachwear with funny red and white striped wedge booties. The references kept streaming out—a halterneck dress fashioned in plissé knit to suggest Fortuny, the deep Doge red and the golden lion motif of the city flag, shimmery sequins and glass embroidery made to imitate the light of Venice glancing off water.

But for all that, not to mention the silent-movie hair and makeup that strung it together, the show avoided too slavish a narrative. There were moments of silliness as well: The Chanel sunglasses recast as Venetian masquerade lorgnettes and the flashes of eroticism in the exposed corsetry spelled fun for the novelty-seeker. But the star pieces here were pure Chanel, un-themed save for their classic elegance: a long black column with a sexily tied narrow trailing scarf, a cream sequin-edged matching jacket and dress, and the unmistakable frothy silk blouses of the rue Cambon. In spite of all his extensive erudition on the art, culture, and personalities of the Venetian past, Lagerfeld concluded, “I don’t use it to make costume. I was actually more interested in the café society of the thirties and the life Chanel lived here, which is gone now.” True, but as guests wend their ways home after two days of roaming the museums, churches, bars, restaurants, and nightclubs of Venice, they’re returning with tales of a happening few would believe could really take place in 2009. - Sarah Mower for Style.com

All images from Style.com. See the complete collection here…

Prada is out!
Marni is out!!
Bottega is out!!!
Jil Sander is out!!!!
Miu Miu and more, still to come…

Stay tuned to ThoseExtra4Inches.com as I’ll be listing my top looks of the season, just as I did for Spring ’09, as well as a trend report or some sort of condensed version of one. Have any of you been watching the shows? Have a favorite already??

For my dream Halloween costume, I would gladly enlist the help of Gareth Pugh, Alexander McQueen, Viktor&Rolf, or the boys from Heatherette – in fact, I’m planning on being a jellyfish, so if any of you boys are reading this and want to help a girl out, feel free to give me a call! Anyway, see below for several of my favorite picks from the past few seasons…

Wicked Witch of the East | Gareth Pugh

Vigilante | Viktor & Rolf

Click below for more of my favorite picks…

Hugh Hefner | Dolce & Gabbana

Bed | Viktor & Rolf

Storm Trooper | Gareth Pugh

The Mummy’s Anck Su Namun | Alexander McQueen

Court Jester | Miu Miu

All images courtesy of Style.com

Just a brief note: I love LOVE Giambattista Valli’s Spring ’09 Collection so much, but I want to live in Jil Sander every moment of every single day. Marni’s show was amazing… so much fashion, so little time. Upcoming Spring Trends? Sheer layers, fringe detailing, asymmetrical lines and hems, one-strap tops, mid-drift baring silhouettes, and so much more…

Lanvin | That color combination! The volume!

Narciso Rodriguez | Black and white and perfect

Balmain | Ridiculously cool, love this look

Stella McCartney | A little sparkle, a lot of sex appeal

Donna Karan | Sexy, strong, and slinky

Bottega Veneta | Smooth as butter

Calvin Klein | Sculptural, metallic, and stunning

Jil Sander | Fringe benefits aplenty

Giambattista Valli | Big skirts, perfect pleats, little waists – oh my!

Peter Som | Gorgeous color. love love LOVE

Miu Miu | Sharp dressed and stunning

Marni | So cute. I die! I DIE.

Alexander McQueen | Somewhere over the rainbow

John Galliano | Show-stopping drama

Oscar de le Renta | Pure elegance

(All images courtesy of Style.com)

We ventured to the edge of New York to celebrate Nicole Romano’s Spring 2009 Collection, which included several pieces of ready-to-wear and more of her fantastic jewelry.

Nicole looked stunning (as usual), this time wearing one of her new dresses, a cocktail version of the gown shown below. Walking through the crowd, I heard plenty of whispers expressing interest in each of the dresses as well as the jewelry. The long tassel necklace was exceptionally eye-catching.

Nicole definitely gets sexy and the entire event reflected that casually sexy attitude. The wine was good, the crowd was good, and even Countess LuAnn deLesseps from the desperate Housewives of New York was there and interviewed Nicole for BetterTV. Click below for images of the collection and espace…

Miele describes the collection as a dance between nature and the female body. His love for architecture, art, music as well as his core influences such as Brazilian landscape artist Roberto Burle Marx, led him to design his island hideaway in Florianopolis, a simple shaped house that blends into the landscape – which coincidentally served as inspiration for his spring 2009 collection.

Unfortunately you can’t really see any of the dresses in my photographs (perhaps I should invest in a real camera instead of just relying on my iPhone), so you either have to trust me when I tell you that they were stunning, or you’ll have to go to style.com and look at the collection yourself. Anyway, click below for my not-so-hot images and more info on this show…

P.S. I finally saw Karlie Kloss walk in a show – haunting yet stunning. Also fell in love with models Sheila Marquez, Eniko Mihalik, Kamila Filipcikova. OH – and the big sparkly cuffs by Juliana Scarpa were simply fabulous and definitely worth looking into.

Carlos Miele Spring 2009 Collection
Location: The Promenade at Bryant Park
Music: Seu Jorge
Jewelry: Juliana Scarpa
Hair: John Barlett
Make-up: Romy Soleimani for MAC
For the full collection, visit style.com

After a looong day at work on Tuesday, I managed to make it to Tony Cohen’s Spring 2009 Collection Show at the Salon in Bryant Park.

New York fashion fixtures Patrick McDonald (who pens the Highbrow column in Paper Magazine) and Leigh Lezark of the Misshapes were seated front row opposite me (which sort of tells you a lot about the attendance of the show).

The collection featured lots of draped, tucked, and gathered chiffon which floated down the runway. All-in-all, it was a pretty collection that I can imagine many of my friends (as well as bi-coastal It girls) wearing.

And as pretty as the clothing was, the hair was crazy. Big and sort of scraggly, it only accentuated the wobbliness of the girls as they struggled to walk down the runway in heels that seemed unstable (although I would love to try a pair). Actually, I wasn’t a fan of the casting for this show in general, but that may simply be due to the overall styled effect or just sitting front row where I worried about being crushed by a falling model.

On a related note: The spring shows, in case you haven’t noticed already, are quite devoid of jewelry compared to the fall. Tony Cohen’s show did include some jewelry, and although it was Erickson Beamon, which is usually all kinds of wonderful-gaudy bling, but it was stripped down to just simple rope chain necklaces. Click below for images for the show (and a close-up shot of the shoes) below…

Tony Cohen Spring 2009 Collection Show
Location: The Salon at Bryant Park
Styling: Patti Wilson
Jewelry: Erickson Beamon
Shoes: Larare Paris for Tony Cohen
Hair: Ward for Bumble and bumble.
Make-up: Kabuki for MAC
Music: Misshapes

However, after working in the industry for a while now, I have not only come to accept the inclusion of contemporary collections, but truly appreciate their presence at fashion week. After all, the contemporary collections are the ones we’ll actually be wearing.

I barely made it to the tents in time for Abaeté’s Spring 09 Collection on Saturday, but did thanks to one slightly crazy driver who nearly ran over a film crew. My first ‘real job’ was at Abaeté (I was there for over 3 years handling the pr and marketing) and so this line, designer Laura Poretzky, and all of the amazing people there will always be very, very dear to me.

For Spring 09, Poretzky was inspired by the dichotomy of the two sides of a woman: the good and the bad. She also looked at clothing from the inside out and paid close attention to underpinnings (lingerie, girdles, netting, etc). The bad girl, according to Poretzky, is celebrated with bondage-tight black jersey pieces, corseted details, and peek-a-boo netting. The girl girl, with ultra feminine, flirty bows and a pretty pastel palate (which was inspired by summers spent in France).

Because I’ve been through so many seasons with Abaeté, I probably view the shows a little bit differently than other people do, paying special attention to all of the people in the audience (like Neiman Marcus’ Ken Downing and ELLE’s Kate Lanphear), the new collection of footwear for Payless (which is always good) – and then of course to the clothing! All of the pieces in yellow and a sheer blue striped silk were super pretty and the I loved the more dramatic make-up and swept back hair this season. Her blouses and top were also quite strong, but the bike shorts, layering of tops, and use of tights in a few of the looks were a bit much. An overtly sporty departure for Poretzky, but still a collection true to her signature feminine aesthetic.

My top picks from Abaeté’s Spring 09 Collection? The trench in look 14 was ridiculously chic, look 21 was perfect amounts of sweet and sexy, both the bowed white/blue swim suit and the yellow one with corseted details were gorgeous, and the yellow one strap dress would look fantastic in an episode of Gossip Girl (and I mean this in a good way).

Right after the lights went back up at Abaeté, I ran out of the tents and straight into a cab to rush over to the ADAM by Adam Lippes Spring 2009 Collection Show. The show was set to take place in the garden of the New York Theological Seminary, but was moved inside a gorgeous Gothic church due to the looming rain storm.

For his spring 09 collection, Lippes was inspired by color, ease, and MoMA’s Color Chart exhibition months earlier. The first few looks were sent out with loose knit hats embellished with big studs that looked hideous in person, but once the hats were gone, things started looking better. There was bright pink, vibrant yellow, electric blue, lots of white and black too. My favorite look was the last one (especially the amber silk georgette floor-length shirt dress) and it was great seeing Siri walk.

After the show I walked in the pouring rain for blocks, practically ruining a pair of satin Celine peep-toe pumps. Needless to say that by the time I got home I was hating on fashion week and swore off going to any parties I had RSVP’d to for the evening. Of course I ended up going out later that evening (and had a great time), but it took watching Margaret Cho and eating couple slices of pizza to get me back in the mood.

Click below to see more images from Abaeté and ADAM by Adam Lippes including links to their full runway collctions.

Abaeté Spring 2009 Collection
Location: The Salon, The Tents at Bryant Park
Styling: Isabel Dupre
Hair: David Cruz for REDKEN
Make-up: Stila
Shoes: Abaeté for Payless
Jewelry: Vintage
See the full collection at Style.com

ADAM by Adam Lippes Spring 2009 Collection
Location: Seminary
Hair: Odile
Make-up: Petros for MAC
Shoes: ADAM
Jewelry:Aurelie Bidermann for ADAM
See the full collection at Style.com

Even if it was a fairly long walk down one of Manhattan’s trashiest streets, it was worth it: the show took place on the roof of the relatively new Atelier building against striking blue skies and a breathtaking cityscape.

After spotting Miss J. Alexander (yes, Miss J. Alexander from America’s Next Top Model), we grabbed lemony drinks before heading to our seats to soak in a little sun. Seats were arranged over the entire roof and it was a good thing we had sunglasses as we were seated facing downtown.

It was actually incredibly relaxing and the show ended up providing a calm in my otherwise fairly crazy day. And there were none of the crazy theatrics I was expecting since Tara Subkoff was involved.

But on to the clothing – Georgette, chiffon, twills, and various knit pieces were created by designer Jerry Tam in warm dessert shades of ochre, sand, grey, khaki and soft sky blue. The collection featured everything from short spring trench coats to bright white swimsuits layered with encircling clouds of delicate gauze. I feel like this is another collection equally suited to the spring as it is to the fall, but this could be due to my own personal mindset or simply because a lot of the looks were shown with boots.

The pieces all have a deconstructed romantic rocker-chic element to them and while I’d love to own many of the looks shown, I do feel the collection could have been edited down. The torso-chain jewelry was also a bit overused and sort of odd…Click below for more images from the FORM Spring 2009 Collection and scene below.

This contemporary collection is extremely wearable with flattering flounces here and there in colors consumers will actually wear (black, sand, red, blue). Although more ‘fall’ than ‘spring’, the line consists of smart pieces that are as romantic as they are versatile. One piece in particular caught my eye – a sort of one strapped black dress with gentle draping simply named ‘classic black crepe dress’.

Novakhett’s innovative tailoring and feminine silhouettes make her not only one to watch in the future, but one to wear now.

Another thing I want to mention is the fact that Novakhett showed her collection as a presentation, not on the runway, and yes, there is a big difference between the two and there are certainly good and bad things about both.

During presentations, refreshments might be served (wine at Novakhett’s show) and the atmosphere is much more social and less structured; there are no seat assignments and people generally walk around and mingle. The down side to this is that many people tend to walk in, glance at the collection and then search for familiar faces to gossip with.

Presentations also held over a span of time (Novakhett’s was from 2-3pm), versus runway shows which happen only once and can be slightly dependent upon the most important attendee’s schedule (i.e. “Hold the show! Anna will be here in only 10 more minutes!”). During runway shows, a look is sent out once and may or may not end up in the finale depending upon where it falls in the line-up, giving editors only a few seconds to really judge an entire look – presentations allow for a much more leisurely review of each piece, providing ample time for details and construction to be studied (at most presentations, you are allowed to get rather close to the models if you want).

Now, one of the great things about runway shows is seeing all of the runway models in action (I remember seeing Sasha walk for the first time…*sigh*). Because presentations end up taking so much of a model’s time (they are just sitting or standing for hours), they tend to feature newer, less-experienced girls who are working the presentation for trade or very little in return.

Both presentations and runway shows allow for infinite possibilities as far as lighting, music, set design, hair, make-up, and whatever else go, but runway shows are always more hectic and always more dramatic.

Tomorrow I’ll report on what goes on at Form, which should be a little crazy as buzz-worthy Tara Subkoff (the pint-sized, overly difficult and dramatic “designer” of Imitation of Christ) is art directing. The FORM collection is inspired by the Rococo movement, and Tara’s overly-theatrical shows in the past have garnished such reviews as: “a bleak political statement – involving a slideshow of images from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, a George W Bush impersonator in the front row and miserable male models who opened the show on a catwalk adorned with political flags” by Vogue UK, so this should at least be interesting…

Anyway, click below to see images and more information from the Nuj Novakhett Spring 2009 Collection Presentation
Designer: Nuj Novakhett
Season: Spring 2009
Stylist: Keegan Singh
Make-up: Luc Bouchard for MAC
Hair: Katiejo Kardel for Sexy Hair (each girl’s hair was different – loved)
Shoes: Marcello Toshi (cool)

Black Lace: Givenchy, Christian Lacroix, Dior, Chanel, Anne Valérie Hash, Armani Privé
Sheer Beauty: Valentino, Christian Dior
Fabulous Fur: Givenchy, Chanel, Armani Privé, Jean Paul Gaultier
Take a Bow: Armani Privé, Christian Dior (esp. accessories), Elie Saab
Black & White: Dior, Armani Privé, Chanel, Anne Valérie Hash, Givenchy, Jean Paul Gaultier
Sweet Pastels: Armani Privé, Anne Valérie Hash, Christian Dior, Valentino
Color Pops: Christian Lacroix, Jean Paul Gaultier

Favorite Collections: Christian Lacroix & Christian Dior
Most Wearable: Givenchy
Most Original Accessories: Anne Valérie Hash’s shoulder piece & necklace – love love love them

Check out the shows for yourself at style.com and let me know what you think…

The first look – sent out on Vlada – a gorgeously embellished black breast-piece paired with a white ruffled tulle skirt, is slightly reminiscent of Proenza Schouler Spring 08, and indeed set the mood for the lavish show to follow. Crystal-laced brocade, matador jackets, beautiful lace skirts paired with lace tights, and even red and pink prints contrasted with one another never looked so perfect.

Everything about this collection is beautiful, but couture is like Murakami (which I finally saw over at the Brooklyn Museum on Saturday) and should be appreciated first in full, and then through the details. The deeply decadent dark rainbow of gowns were especially breathtaking, but what really makes this show such a show are the delicate lace masks, pieced-out mohawks, folded velvet and satin ribbons, feathered collars, delicately beaded purses, beyond-expert draping, and so much more.

Edwardian at times and pure fantasy, this is the kind of show that makes me want to burn all of my tanks and jeans.

Z asked if I know anyone who actually wears couture and the answer, of course, is no. Couture runs something like $100,000 a piece and no ‘real’ people spend that kind of money on a single piece of clothing – although, if one day I happen to miraculously become the daughter of the Sultan of Brunei, worth $22 billion according to Forbes, I promise to support Mr. Lacroix excessively.

Also noteworthy about this show, audience members Helen Mirren and Janet Jackson. Sort of an interesting crowd, no?

Giorgio Armani and Dior have already hit the runway.

I love the couture shows and will be posting reviews and whatnot as soon as full collection images become available (the image on the side is a selected pull from Dior, taken from Harper’s Bazaar) – so check back soon.

After all, couture is what fashion is really all about.

There was lots of black and white (which I love), sunny yellow, pretty prints (inspired by the well-stamped pages of von Furstenberg’s own passport)…and there were even flowers in the girls’ hair.

To be honest with you, this was the first resort show that I wanted to look at from the first look to the last – perhaps that’s because Diane von Furstenberg is one woman who clearly knows how to pack for a fabulous getaway and understands what the ‘resort’ season is all about (although you really can’t go wrong when Natalia Vordianova opens for you either). There were tight-waisted sundresses with ribbon-trimmed swirling skirts; great ruched, fifties-style swimwear; and just scores and scores of pretty frocks. I also loved the easy cardigans worn open over the dresses.

Not only were the clothes gorgeous, but so were the girls! They all looked so happy and healthy – just the kind of girls you want to live happily ever after with. And although I wasn’t into it in Glamour’s July issue, I’m really loving the coral lips in this show! I’m even leafing back through Glamour’s guide right now – they consider coral the most flattering color you’ll ever put on – and after this show, I’m starting to agree with them.

See the whole show DVF Resort ’09 here, but beware, it’s love at first sight.